Google recently added a long-requested functionality. They now provide Gmail users with the ability to block emails. While tech analysts were quick to note that it’s far from a total solution to the spam problem, it is a much-needed step. For people running email lists, however, this is a nervous time. It’s now easy for people to unsubscribe from your notifications in a way that you won’t be able to verify independently. The news isn’t all bad, though. Let’s take a look at the hidden upsides to Gmail’s new block feature.

The Long View

First, it’s important to take the long view. If you’re new to website management, you may have a tendency to get dialed up over every little thing. That passion is healthy and the energy can sustain you through those early years. At some point, however, you’ll learn to take the long view: Every new technology development does not translate into a crisis, real or imagined.

If you take a deep breath, you will see that Gmail’s blocking feature is actually a boon to senders who aren’t spammers. The history of email over the past decade has been a legacy of emails promising Nigerian riches, daily fantasy sports promo codes, and manhood-enlargement pills. Few recipients want this kind of junk cluttering their inbox, and email’s reputation was somewhat tarnished in the process.

Now that blocking exists, the stigma will gradually fade away. Users have more control over their inbox and as a result, they’ll experience a much better signal-to-noise ratio over time. As the tyranny of spammers begins to wane as a result of blocking, the consumer email trust level will go up. Your readers will become more receptive to what’s in their inbox. That evolving behavior can be a huge benefit to legitimate senders.

The Short Term

The best advice we have is similar to what experts advise after a stock market crash: don’t panic in the short term and keep your eye on the long haul. You should be aware of this Gmail development, but don’t overreact. Use this time to check your data to determine how vulnerable you are.

Your first priority should remain constant: Focus on the people who are actively interacting with your emails. These responders are the core followers of your site and their continued support is what sustains your business. They likely won’t be blocking you, so think of ways to reward them. It’s a type of positive reinforcement that’s mutually beneficial. Consider a contest giveaway or something else that has triggered terrific CTA results in the past. Let your loyal customers know that you appreciate everything they bring to the table.

By running a contest, you may reap additional benefits, such as reengaging a few subscribers who may have been inactive. Everyone loves free swag, Do a little analysis and compare your active engagements for your most recent email with the results from a giveaway CTA. Note if any inactive subscribers have reengaged or if your engagement improves as a result of the incentive. It’s imperative to keep your email list vibrant and as useful as possible during the early days of Gmail blocking. Subscribers won’t block what they really want to see.

Learn the New Rules

There’s still a great deal of debate regarding Gmail blocking. Some website operators argue that if someone blocks a message, that’s worse than if they mark it as spam. The concern is that Google might take the blocking data into consideration at some point when they re-do their rankings. Memories of Panda and Penguin linger in the minds of those burned by prior Google search engine updates.

While Google analysts are quick to note that this sort of catastrophe is unlikely to occur again, the underlying philosophy by webmasters is, “Victimize me once, shame on you, Google. Victimize me twice, shame on me.” While the worry and urge to protect one’s content is understandable, it should also not overly concern emailers running quality sites and using quality mailing lists. As Forbes writer Jayson DeMers notes in the link above, “Google still ranks companies based on how well they treat their users and how much respect they command from other online sources.”

What this means is that your only real danger is if you’re running a subpar site that relies on disposable content or shady, backlink methods. And that’s not something you should be doing anyway. It’s a terrible business strategy to offer lesser products in any market, especially one as competitive as the Internet.

Try to view the Google changes as an opportunity to return to the core goals of your organization. Think of it as a challenge to assess and reinvigorate your content to make it stand out in a crowd.

Hearing about any change to a Google application is always a bit scary, but it does not signal disaster. You’re unlikely to experience many blocks on Gmail, and even if you do, it will be a wake-up call to provide better email.

Do you plan to make any changes to your campaigns to combat Gmail’s block feature? Let us know in the comments.

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